The mega bonanza for the Bengalis is here, and come October 7, the streets of India (and especially Kolkata) will be flooded with Bengalis making their way from one pandal to another. Each year, the puja organisers try to floor visitors with innovation when it comes to the kind of puja pandals constructed each year. There are unique themes and art that not only aim to be distinctive but also deliver a meaningful message, pandal-hopping is not only a matter of fun but also a way to realise the kind of ideologies that are dominating current society. (Source: Express photo by Partha Paul)

Every year, artists come up with different themes to delight visitors, which involves months of planning and equally tedious amount of hard work. Because of the level of friendly competition amid the puja organisers, it’s also importat for them to keep the work and idea a secret before the bog reveal on Panchami/Sashthi. Nevertheless, we managed a peek into some of unique pandals to adorn the Kolkata festive landscape this year. (Source: Express photo by Partha Paul)

The puja committee here, as part of their 68th year of celebrations, decided to take visitors to a fantasy world. With array of colours and art installations in the form of various animals, bugs and birds, among others, the committee has not just constructed the pandal, but painted the entire locality to match the theme. The buildings adjoining the pandal have been brightly lit and painted in rainbow colours. (Source: Express photo by Partha Paul)

In the age of Internet and texting, we have almost forgotten the old form snail mail. Not just writing an email, but an actually letter on a postcard. Yes, we know it has been ages. This is what provoked artist Sourav Nag to come up with this theme dedicated to postcards, stamps and letter boxes. (Source: Express photo by Partha Paul)

Talking to the IndianExpress.com, Nag said, “I was disheartened to see how one stamp after another was discontinued by the postal department. This has been a heritage. I fear one day like Asoka’s items with might land in the museum. I just could not overcome that feeling; I knew something had to be done.” (Source: Express photo by Partha Paul)

The entire compound has been set by using over 50,000 post cards assembled with the help of Kolkata BPO.

With the hope that may be one day we would just celebrate “Letters Day” like Valentines’ Day or Mothers’ Day, when we would send our loved ones a handwritten letter, artist has created a giant mail box as the pandal. (Source: Express photo by Partha Paul)

What do people see when imagining Kolkata? The Howrah Bridge, Victoria Memorial and of course the iconic yellow taxis, which is slowly heading towards oblivion was enough for this club to dedicate their puja to these cabs.

The theme is “Nostalgia”, which uses the iconic ambassador, more precisely, yellow taxis. (Source: Express photo by Partha Paul)

The iconic yellow Ambassador taxi manufactured by the Hindustan Motors is gradually fading away from Kolkata streets, with modern cars taking over. Hindustan Motors had suspended production from May 25, 2014, at its Uttarpara factory in Bengal due to low demand and lack of funds after a glorious tradition of few decades. (Source: Express photo by Partha Paul)

Organisers have deconstructed the car to decorate the pandal. To transform the idea into reality, they bought 15 taxis, 200 silencer pipes, and 300 car doors as well as other parts of the ambassador as decoration. Artist Shiv Sankar Das’ creation has already become the talk of the town. We just can’t wait to watch it when it’s complete.(Source: Express photo by Partha Paul)

Ask anyone in Kolkata what is the most dreadful train journey one can experience, and unboubtly people will answer – Bangaon Local. The busiest local at any given point, regular commuters and hawkers engage in daily tussle to literally survive the ride. People colloquially say you can get awards for travelling in a down train in peak tour. Celebrating this vigour making of a train boogie is in progress at Jagat Mukherjee Mukherjee Park, North Kolkata. The committee titled the theme "Down Bangaon Local", artist Subol Paul is trying to reveal the experience by the passengers, mainly office goers. (Source: Express photo by Partha Paul)

Special attention has been paid to ensure that the audience gets to experience the exact feel thus sound of passing train, hawkers hawking and many other mundane sounds have been planned to be played. Even baul songs will be echoed on the back ground, passing scenes will be shown through windows of the train boogie. The sound has been composed by Mallar Ghosh .The train will stop at a station called Ashok Nagar where the puja will be performed by the Hawkers. The platform will be decorated by props usually with Hawkars selling items. How exactly the spectators will travel, we will have to watch and watch. (Source: Express photo by Partha Paul)

Creating history last year with the highest idol ever of over 80ft could not provide joy to people for all the five days last year. After a stampede that led to some casualties as well, the pandal was ordered to be shut down. Moving ahead from the sad memory, this year, the puja committee has geared up with renewed spirits and an even bigger theme. (Source: Express photo by Subham Dutta)

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Keeping the authorities in the loop to ensure safety, artist Minte Pal has worked with the theme “Hazar Haath”, which portrays the Goddess Durga as has been mentioned in the Chandi Path. The goddess here has 1,000 hands with which to kill 100 asuras. (Source: Express photo by Subham Dutta)

Keeping the mythological text in mind, Pal has created the idol with as many as 1,000 hands and 100 demon heads that adorn the pandal. Made of fibreglass and not clay, this is going to much more spectacular that it seems.(Source: Express photo by Subham Dutta)

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The lanes leading up to this locality in north Kolkata — which will be celebrating its golden jubilee this year — have highlighted the idea of ‘maitrayee’, meaning friendship. To do so, the organising club has actually recreated a train — the Maitrayee Express — that travels from India to Bangladesh bridging gaps and connecting people of the two countries. (Source: Express photo by Partha Paul)

Initiated by the ward Councillor Amal Chakraborty, the premises has been constructed according to the Kolkata Station. Titled ‘Cholo beriye asi’ (Let’s go out), the organisers aim to represent the travel-crazy Bengali community with this theme. (Source: Express photo by Partha Paul)